Community Leadership Is Essential for Veterans in Transition By Jim Lorraine, President and CEO of America’s Warrior Partnership

There are more than 200,000 U.S. service members who transition to civilian life every year, and each one of these veterans faces their own unique challenges in adjusting to the next stage of their lives.

There are more than 200,000 U.S. service members who transition to civilian life every year, and each one of these veterans faces their own unique challenges in adjusting to the next stage of their lives. The process can seem overwhelming for many veterans, and we at America’s Warrior Partnership believe the key to empowering these warriors is to provide proactive, holistic support at the community level. The importance of the community to veterans in transition was a focus of our Fifth Annual Warrior Community Integration Symposium, which took place from Sept. 5 – 7 in Atlanta, Georgia. More than 500 representatives from veteran-serving organizations, corporate foundations, public

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HOMELAND / October 2018

universities, nonprofits, government agencies, and national and local businesses gathered together to learn how they can better connect veterans with needed resources, educate them on available opportunities, advocate for their needs within the community and collaborate to ensure they achieve a high quality of life as a civilian. Sebastian Junger on Veterans Town Halls Renowned journalist and filmmaker Sebastian Junger has covered the U.S. military for more than 20 years, and he provided a keynote address to Symposium attendees to share his insights. In particular, he emphasized the importance of empowering veterans to share their stories and experiences with their community in a way that is therapeutic and helpful.